Legion
by Adamusa
Summary: A battle between the light and the dark, one man stands between two countries on the brink of all-out war. He must find the terrorist behind it all, whilst saving himself from his own demons, and those of his friends.
1. Chapter 1

**Legion**

This is the story of Takakage, the human paladin seeking to end the great war between Korioza and Taira. He is willing to sacrifice his life and soul to end the suffering caused by the endless conflict, but comes across a terrible secret. Legion.

**Chapter 1**

Takakage, or Taka to his friends, stood idly staring out towards a village. He would reach it soon, he knew, but could not help himself from wondering what he might find inside, or who he may meet. Allowing himself a grin at this thought, he turned away and prepared to set up camp. Making his way through the forest back to the clearing he found, he drew the Dragon Flame from its sheath and gazed fondly at it. The dying light flashed off of the blade, reflecting his image, the image of a steel-clad colossus, short black hair and storm-cloud grey eyes. He flicked the sword up towards the sky, before kicking a tree, which promptly crashed to the ground. A flash of red spun down, and embedded itself in the fallen tree. The stone placed in the phylactery at the hilt began to hum and glow, as the blade of the sword gave off an intense heat. Taka pulled the sword from the trunk, sliding it out as easily as a wet hand might slip from a cuff. With a sweep, he ignited the trunk, causing a roaring fire to leap up. He lay against the base of another tree, and began to doze, keeping an eye open, his pack conspicuously open beside him.

A slight rustling shook him out of his slight stupor. Keeping his eyes closed, he listened intently. Footsteps padded up to his bag, and hands began rummaging through it. He waited until the thief paused to strike. The young thief was far too busy going through Taka's pack to notice the eyes of his victim creep open. A hand shot out and grabbed his arm, whilst a deep, flowing, melodic voice asked as to why he was being disturbed.

"I...I...I only..." stammered the young thief, lost for words at the huge knight's speed.

"If you wished for food, you need only have asked." Came the voice again, this time in a more gentle tone. Taka pulled himself into a sitting position, focusing on the boy properly, but this time, he was the one lost for words. The thief was nondescript, wearing near rags and a simple headband, but what left Taka speechless was the massive scythe slung across his back. The weapon in question was huge, at least six foot from base to tip.

"What is your name, may I ask?" inquired Taka, his curiosity piqued. The boy looked at him, his confidence returning now that he saw that the armoured giant in front of him was not hostile. He sat down, crossed his legs, and gazed at the sky.

"I...I don't know..." he replied, head falling back to lock onto Taka's helmet, lying on the floor. Taka was now even more curious, since this lad was no demon, which did not have need for names, but neither was he completely human. Taka leaned against the trunk of the tree he was sitting next to, thinking. If the boy had no name, then he was likely a refugee, another victim of the war ravaging the country. This still, however, did not explain how he got the weapon on his back.

"Then where do you come from?" Taka asked, looking the boy in the eyes.

"I lived in a village, near the borders" he replied, picking at the ground.

"And you had a family there?" Taka pressed another question onto the lad.

"Once, but something huge came, and destroyed it all. It ate them, relishing in their screams." The lad shivered, and Takakage noticed how cold it was in the air. He pulled his heavy cloak from his pack, and wrapped it around the lad.

"Thank you sir" he sniffed.

"Call me Taka, I'm no noble." Takakage replied cheerfully. Inside, he felt a huge pity for the lad. He couldn't have been more than nineteen years of age, twenty at the most. And yet he had to see his entire village destroyed by what sounded suspiciously like a demon.

"Well, it seems you'll need a name, since I cannot call you 'boy' all the time." Taka grinned, and began to stand.

Leaving the teenager next to the fire, he strode over to the hollow tree trunk where he had left his _shinpi obu_ pouch. Swiftly retrieving it from where it lay, he walked back over to the lad, and looked at him. He was, as Taka thought, only about nineteen or so, with long hair that fell over his eyes, which were a hazel colour. Sitting back down, he pulled his orbs from the pouch and began inserting them into his armour.

The helmet was first, then the shoulders, then the chest. He slotted the two elemental stones into his weapons, and connected his arcane orbs to his hands. The lad watched him curiously, and could not help himself from blurting out the question Taka had been expecting from the moment he took out the first glowing stone.

"What are those stones Taka?" The question hung in the air for a second, before Takakage, smiling softly, replied.

"These are _shinpi obu_, or magic orbs. They give me the power to use different spells or attacks depending on which one is active at the time." The boy's interest was heightened by this, and he asked for a demonstration. Grinning, Taka got to his feet, and activated the orb in his left shoulderguard. The familiar energy sped down his arm, the Hurricane Cutter glowing with a bright golden light. Taka raised the sword above his head and slammed his sword to the floor in a sweeping arc.

A wave of golden light followed the sweep of his sword, pausing for a split second, before hurtling towards the tree Taka had set on fire earlier. It sped towards it, passed through, doing no visible damage, and dissipated. He turned back to the boy, and told him to keep watching. Takakage strode over to the log and, lifting it effortlessly, picked up one end. It immediately sheared away from the other half of the tree, leaving a clean cut directly through it. He looked back at the lad, and saw an expression of awe on his face. He could not help but allow himself to feel a little big-headed.

Eventually, Taka began to place his gear into his pack, having felt that there was a conflict nearby. The boy noticed him preparing to leave, and ran over to him.

"Taka, where are you going?" the lad queried.

"There are battles to be fought, I cannot stay here any longer than necessary." Taka replied.

The boy looked thoughtful at this, and eventually spoke again.

"Can I come with you?" Taka was surprised by this, but not totally unprepared.

"That depends, are you able to wield that scythe on your back?" The boy replied by saying that he did, and was very proficient too. Taka smiled, beckoned and turned to leave. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something. Stopping, it came to him.

The boy's name. He turned, and with a grin on his face, said to the boy:

"What do you think of Scythe as a name, until we find your real one?" His face cracked in a smile, and Taka, now knowing that he had not missed anything else, turned and, with Scythe wandering along beside him, set off into the forest to begin a quest that would lead him to an encounter that he would never have expected.


	2. Chapter 2

**Legion **

**Chapter Two**

The battle was close. Taka could almost smell the raw death in the air. There was a possibility that a demonic entity could be attracted to all this, but it was indeed unlikely. Scythe was still behind him, so he glanced back to make sure that the boy was alright, and stopped. Scythe looked almost drunk, swaying on his feet and mumbling incoherently. He stepped forwards to see what was wrong, and was knocked backwards by a blast of purple energy. They were on the very edge of the forest, and Taka could see the clash between the forces. Looking back to the lad, he saw that his eyes were glowing, red as blood. A growl escaped his throat, and he slid his scythe from his back. Before Taka could blink, Scythe was on the enemy, a roaring dervish laying waste to all who came near him. One was gutted, another split cleanly in half. One man tried to attack Scythe, and was rewarded with a severed arm. The back-stroke took off his head. Takakage leaned against a tree, simply watching as Scythe tore through the enemy forces as swiftly as a hot knife cut butter. After another few men were brutally dismembered, the remainder of the forces turned and began to run. Scythe, however, had no intention of letting them go. He raised a hand, and an orb of black, swirling energy formed at it. The darkness was bubbling and incoherent, but quickly formed into a perfect ball. Scythe grinned, then roared and let the blast explode towards the fleeing enemies. It caught the middle of their group, sending those on the outskirts of the explosion flying, and those directly hit incinerated by the darkness billowing around them. The dark light faded, and a scene of devastation met Taka's eyes. A huge gouge had been taken out of the earth, and burnt bodies lay everywhere. Those not hit were speedily dispatched by a short chop to the neck. After Scythe had finished his grisly task, he raised his weapon towards the sky. Curious, Taka leaned forwards.

Purple energy exploded from the corpses scattered around Scythe, converging on his blade and being absorbed into it. The raging stream of light quickly faded, and Scythe dropped to his knees. Taka rushed over to the fallen boy, and felt for a pulse. He was merely unconscious, which Taka was relieved at finding out. The ground suddenly began to shake, with a black sigil appearing maybe twenty feet away. A massive demon burst from the ground, roaring. Taka stood up and, carefully setting Scythe down, whipped out his swords and faced the beast, which was almost fifteen feet tall. A maniacal grin appeared on its face, and a giant axe materialized in its' hand. The _shinpi obu_ of light on Taka's left shoulder-guard began to glow and, as the divine energy began to travel down his arm, the right shoulder-guard stone activated as well. Flicking open the connectors at the hilt of the swords, Taka slammed them together, creating the Soul Cutter. He swiftly began to spin them in a circle. The demon sensed that its opponent was going to attack, and decided to take the initiative. Roaring, it charged towards Taka. The swords now spinning on their own and the centre pointing directly towards the demon, Scythe awakened just in time to see Taka punch the point where the blades joined, roaring his head off.

A split second later, a massive beam of translucent, golden energy erupted from the wildly rotating swords, powering towards the demon. It sensed its imminent demise and tried to dodge. The attack however, was too large, completely obliterating the panicking demon, and leaving nothing but ashes behind. Taka's blades stopped spinning, and fell. He caught them neatly just before the hit the ground, and sheathed them. Takakage turned and saw Scythe looking at him with an expression of awe. Taka, however, was more interested in what happened to Scythe when he smelt the blood of the soldiers, and why he went berserk.

"I really don't know Taka!" Scythe practically shouted. Taka had been probing him with questions, convinced that he knew what caused his mindless rampage. Scythe was getting tired and cranky however, so Taka thought it best to let him get to sleep.

"Alright then, if you don't know there is nothing that can be done for now." Taka mused, letting the matter drop.

"Thanks Taka…and what you did earlier…that was amazing…" Scythe began to drift towards sleep as he reflected on Taka's power. Grinning, Taka leant against a nearby tree and, as always, kept an eye open whilst he napped.

_A few hours later…_

Taka woke to the sound of deep breathing. He glanced left, then right. There was nothing to be seen aside from Scythe, who was still snoring on the ground near the fire. Taka got to his feet with the uneasy feeling that something was out of place. He cast his gaze around, but still could see nothing. The breathing became growling, and Takakage became increasingly alert. After a few seconds of staring, he realised what was wrong, what he had not spotted earlier.

The fire.

He didn't light a fire before they went to sleep.

Spinning and drawing his blades at the same time, he faced the fire in time to see a monstrous head, beringed with fangs and seething with red energy appear from the fire. At the sheer size of the head he realised instantly that this was an archdemon, one above its lesser brethren. Knowing he would not be able to defeat it if he allowed it to fully form, he charged forwards and attacked, slashing at the beast repeatedly. It grunted, and a massive arm materialised from the now huge fire. The arm quivered a moment, as if unaccustomed to the cold air, but swiftly swung down and smacked Taka, sending him hurtling through the air into a tree, the Dragon Flame flying from his grasp and embedding itself in the ground. Rolling and leaping to his feet, the translucent _shinpi obu_ in the Hurricane Cutter blazed into life. The very winds gathered around his blade, and formed into a swivelling ball on the tip of the sword. Upper cutting with the weapon, the ball of air, which was tiny, exploded into a huge gale, tearing branches from the trees, and ripping the beast in the flames to shreds. Bellowing, the beast made an attempt to smash Taka again, but failed. Before it was killed, the gale died down.

In a parody of a grin, it brought another arm out of the fire, and opened its demonic jaws. A pulsating orb of energy began to undulate in the gaping maw. Sheathing the Hurricane Cutter, Taka clicked his fingers, and both Arcane _shinpi obu_ began to glow. The blob of darkness now gigantic, the beast took aim at Takakage. With a grin, Taka clicked his fingers once more, and placed his hand so that his palm was facing the monster. A bolt of cyan energy snapped out of his hand and flew into the ball, which dissipated with the force of the shot. It struck the beast square in the face, blinding it. Roaring in pain, it began to smash its arms on the ground in agony. Whilst it was distracted, Taka knelt and placed a single hand on the ground. A sigil formed underneath him, then vanished and appeared underneath the beast. Clenching his left hand into a fist, he extended two fingers, and raised them. The blinded demon was annihilated in a massive blast of energy, it's flesh disintegrating with the raw power erupting from underneath it. When the bright light died away, there was nothing left of the demonic entity, except for a smouldering pile of ash. Taka swiftly blasted them away with a second, less powerful shot from the Hurricane Cutter. There was every chance that the demon was not dead, and could regenerate from the ashes.

It was at this moment, that Scythe woke up to see Takakage standing above him, sword unsheathed and casting his gaze about for his second weapon. Spotting it, he strode over, and yanked the Dragon Flame from where it was embedded in the floor. Scythe sat up, and asked the inevitable question.

"Wha…whazz goin' on?" His words were slurred, as he had just woken, but he quickly gathered himself and rephrased it.

"What happened Taka?" Scythe looked around, seeing nothing for cause of concern. Taka sighed, and collapsed heavily upon the ground. Using the _shinpi obu _took a lot of stamina, and to use two combination attacks in one day was a newer experience for him.

"Taka?" came the second, more worried sounding question.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I just need to rest…" And with that statement, Taka fell soundly asleep, exhausted from the fight.


	3. Chapter 3

**If you read this story, please review it as I love to know what people think of it and how it can be improved. **

**That's all for now, Chapter Four is in the works.**

**Love, Ada =3.  
**

**Legion**

**Chapter Three**

Blinking his eyes open after several hours of sleep, Takakage looked upwards towards the sky. It was lighter now, so he guessed he must have slept for the best part of five hours. Scythe was still asleep nearby, and the scorched circle where the demon last night had died was fading, slowly being blown away by the gentle, cleansing wind that swept through.

Feeling rather vivacious, Taka sat up, his armour clicking as he did so. Noticing this, he glanced at his right shoulder to see a deep gash on the steel pauldron. Assuming that it came from when he was struck by the demon, he brushed the issue aside and jumped to his feet. Casting his gaze around, he saw nothing of note, no enemies sneaking up, and no demons ready to pounce. Walking over to a dead piece of wood on the floor, he pulled a small knife from his pack and began whittling the wood, as a means of passing the time until Scythe woke up.

Almost an hour later, Scythe's eyes flickered open, and he groggily sat up, typical of a teenager. Noticing Taka sitting against a tree, he pushed himself off the floor and went over to him, curious as usual. Taka had whittled a small figurine of a bird, and it was beautifully made. A carved hawk, its wings spread in glorious flight, was sitting on the palm of his hand, gleaming in the morning sun.

Scythe gazed at it in admiration, before looking at Taka and speaking.

"Taka, when're we going?" He asked. Grinning to himself, Taka pushed himself to his feet and replied.

"Now, if the need for you to be moving is present." Grabbing his pack and flipping it over his shoulder, Taka began to stride in the general direction of the smoke he could see rising on the horizon, assuming it to be a village, where he could restock his food supplies, which were running rather low, and also to see if he could find someone who could fix his pauldron.

***** An hour or so later*****

Flicking a branch out of his way, Taka climbed over a fallen tree and cleared the edge of the forest. Ahead of him lay a village, as he had assumed. It looked like a small place, with thatch huts and a few larger buildings, one of which was producing the smoke Taka had seen. Guessing at a blacksmith, he turned as he heard Scythe fall over the log, cursing.

Scythe, picking himself up, glared at Taka. "You could've helped me over that you know, some of us aren't as tall as you." He grumbled. Still grinning, Taka grabbed Scythe's hand and pulled him up. Patting him on the head as a jab at his stature, the chuckling Taka sauntered into the village. Scythe followed him, still grumbling about his luck. As he walked into the village, he was met with a few curious looks, as always. His size, being larger than that of most men, always drew a few curious glances wherever he went. Making a beeline for the building with the smokestack, he strode up to it and knocked.

The door swung open, and, as he had assumed, it was a smithy. A muscled man with a patch on one eye glared up at him, as most people do. Bowing, Taka spoke.

"Good sir, I request your services, and I shall pay you in any way you care to name." The image of politeness, Taka straightened up and awaited a reply. The smith grunted and held out his hand. Reaching under his pauldron, Taka released the couplings that held it to the rest of his armour. Taking it off his shoulder, he passed it to the smith, who bent a little under the weight, but carried it inside and told Taka to come back in a few hours. Nodding, he gestured to Scythe, who had been sitting on the floor a few metres away. Getting up and walking over, he looked up at the huge man besides him and asked:

"So where to now Taka? We've got some time to kill." Nodding, and scratching his beard, Taka looked over to one of the other large huts, which appeared to be an inn of some sorts.

"Guess we should go get a drink eh?" He mused. Typical of the man, he immediately took off without any warning, leaving Scythe trailing behind him.

Opening the door of the tavern, Taka had to stoop to fit his armoured frame through the doorway. Straightening up once inside, he spotted the bar immediately, and ambled over to order a flagon of ale for himself, and letting Scythe decide for himself. Looking around, he noticed that the place was nearly empty, aside from an old man in the corner and a group of men along the bar from him. He turned back to his drink and began thinking about where to go next. A knock on his bared shoulder turned his head. The group of men, looking like they were military types, stood there, maybe five or six of them. The one who had rapped on his shoulder had a mean look in his eyes, before speaking in a gravelly voice.

"I recognize yer." He growled. "Yer the bastard that ran us outta Fort Drevix. We lost our goddamn jobs thanks ta you." Eye twitching, the man stood there waiting for a reply.

Sighing, Taka turned the rest of his body around. "If you were so weak as to be routed from an entire fort by myself and three covert soldiers, then you deserve to lose your job. I doubt any army would need your motley band." The words came out venomous, Taka looking the soldier square in the face. The man's eye twitched again, and he spat on the floor.

"Yer gonna regret that statement, and we're gonna make that regret real, right now." He grated out. The men behind him drew their swords, and the man himself drew out a pair of short daggers. Setting his flagon of ale down on the bar top, Taka spoke to the nervous bartender.

"I shall try not to break too much, but if I do be assured I shall pay for it." The bartender nodded, and withdrew into a corner. Flexing his muscles, Taka faced the group once more. Folding his arms, he mocked them with his very posture.

One foe roared in hatred, and ran at Taka, slashing wildly. He side-stepped the clumsy blows, grabbed the man by the collar and flung him at least ten metres across the room. He landed in a heap, sword pointing awkwardly across his crotch. The others, slightly more level-headed, had spread out in a semicircle, wary of the giant knight's strength. One of them, wielding a long blade with a cross guard, lunged at Taka's left leg. The blow clanked harmlessly off his greave, and he responded with a vicious kick that sent the man sprawling. Two more, both wielding falchions, darted to either side and jabbed at him. Stepping backwards, he let both of them pass him, before clapping their heads together. They collapsed, and he turned to the last two, the leader and his final cohort.

Glaring at him, the leader grabbed his accomplice and pushed him at Takakage. This was met with a thunderous right cross, and the poor fellow was sent flying, slamming into the wall and sliding down it. Seconds after pulling back from the blow, Taka felt a stabbing pain in his right shoulder. The final opponent had used the distraction and sunk his knives into Taka's bared shoulder. Growling, he brought his right hand scything round and just missed the man, who had promptly let go of his weapons, leaving them in Taka's shoulder. Still growling, he yanked the blades out and flung them at the unarmed assailant. He ducked and the blades embedded themselves into the wall behind him. Foolishly, he decided to take Taka on with his fists, and was rewarded by a slashing straight left, Taka's right arm now hanging uselessly. The blow floored him, possibly giving him minor concussion as well.

The last opponent was down, and all six men were groaning on the wooden boards. Turning to the bar and wincing at the gashes in his shoulder, Taka activated the stone in his breastplate. A healing stream of energy washed up to his injured shoulder. The wound, which would usually take weeks to heal on its own, closed up nigh-instantly. Flexing his fingers, Taka walked back over to his stool. Scythe, who had just walked in, was puzzled as to why the six men were on the floor moaning in pain. Moving past the crumpled heap of the man next to the wall, he sat next to Taka at the bar. Glancing up at Taka, he spoke.

"Taka, was that you?" He queried.

"Yep, t'was indeed." Taka replied, back to his usual self.

"Any reason why you beat them up?" Scythe asked. Taka nodded and spoke.

"They attacked me first, purely self defence on my part." He rumbled. Shrugging, Scythe turned to the bar and asked for a glass of water, evidently not interested in alcohol at the time.

Twenty minutes or so later, the both of them walked back outside. Contrasting the brilliant weather earlier, it was now pouring down with rain. Chucking his cloak over Scythe, who had begun to shiver at the sudden cold, Taka cast his gaze around for a decent place to pass the time. Hearing furious shouting from his left, he turned towards it. Next to a fruit stall, a small boy was being beaten by an older man, the latter roaring angrily. A few pieces of fruit lay on the floor, and Taka guessed that the lad must have stolen them. Stepping over, he laid a hand on the angry man's shoulder. He turned and asked Taka.

"What're ya doin', can ye not see ah'm busy?" He spat. Taka just looked at him. The man then realised just how large the person talking to him was. He stepped back slightly, and then started shivering as Taka reached into his pouch.

"Hold out your hand." He ordered. The trembling fruit seller complied, and Taka dropped several coins into his hand. "Now leave this lad alone, you hear?" Taka asked sternly. The man nodded and ran back behind his fruit stall.

Picking the boy up, Taka brushed the dirt off him and spoke. "Alright, I do not wish to lecture you, so just do not do this again alright? 'Tis better to work for something than to steal it. Understand?" The boy nodded. "Off you go then." He watched the lad run off, disappearing around a corner. Sighing, Taka began walking again. A few minutes later, Scythe said:

"Taka, why aren't we doing anything?" Chuckling, he replied:

"Oh, but we are. 'Tis a good way to clear the mind, simply walking. Besides, I have some supplies to pick up." Scythe hummed, but said no more.

An hour or so later, they arrived back at the smithy, after taking a long walk around the town, purchasing different supplies, such as food and camp materials. Taka also found a bottle of metal polish, which he immediately used to polish his weapons. Knocking on the door of the smithy, he stood back and waited. A few seconds later, it opened. The smith appeared, carrying his pauldron, which looked like it had only just been forged. Taking the pauldron from the smith effortlessly, Taka mounted it back onto his shoulder and snapped the latches into place. Checking that it was secure, and that it stayed in place, Taka reached into his pouch and pulled out a handful of coins. Counting out thirty-five of them, he dropped them into the smith's hand, who nodded and returned inside. Turning, Taka strode off to the cartographer's hut, having one small piece of business to conduct before leaving for Onoshiro, capital of Taira.

Ducking through the beaded doorway, Taka had to stoop to fit his frame inside the hut. The cartographer, a small man who Taka knew had moved here after a fiasco several years ago in Ranpato, the capital of Korioza. Taka had helped him get out of the city, and in return had asked to be updated with maps whenever he passed by. The man heartily agreed, and over the years the two had become good friends. Spotting Taka cautiously move in, the man clapped his hands and ran off to a side room. Returning seconds later, he held a scroll of parchment under his arm. Spreading it out over a table, he pointed out everything that had changed since the last time he had updated Taka. Leaning over the table, Taka's practised eye took in all the details, from the smallest contour to the largest city. Nodding his approval, Taka rolled the map back up, and stowed it in his pack. Counting out a small sum of gold, he handed it to the cartographer, as a means of thanks.

Brushing the beads aside once more, Taka stepped outside, where Scythe was waiting. Raising his head as he heard Taka extract himself from the small hut. Clambering to his feet, he asked.

"So, where are we off to now Taka?"

"Onoshiro, the City of the Sky, capital of Taira." Taka replied, beginning to start walking. Nodding, Scythe fell in behind him. As they left the village, a small, mechanical bird watched them from a tree, its metallic gaze following them unerringly. Stretching its wings and taking flight, the artificial hawk soared aloft on wings of steel, its vision tracking the odd pair as they began their journey once again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Legion**

**Chapter Four**

Following a winding route through the forests, Takakage and Scythe picked their way through the various brambles and thorns in their path. Or rather, Scythe did. Taka, in his usual manner, just walked straight through them, heedless of the prying weeds scratching at his armour. Scythe had resorted to cutting branches away with a knife Taka had given him. He was not being very successful, and had received numerous cuts and scrapes whilst trying to cut through a particularly belligerent branch. Taka, noting that Scythe was having a bit of trouble, backtracked and yanked the branch out of the way. Scythe ducked through, and Taka let the branch swing back.

"Cheers for that." Scythe panted, breathing heavily from sawing at the branch. Taka simply grinned and kept walking. With a growl, Scythe hacked more weeds out of his way, and kept following him. A few minutes after, they emerged into a small clearing. Glancing up at the huge redwood trees around them, Taka dropped his pack and spoke:

"I need to take a look at the surrounding area, so I am going to climb up one of the trees and have a look." He stated. Scythe, looking up at the massive redwoods, snorted.

"You're going to climb up those? With your weight and armour?" He asked. Looking back at Taka, his jaw dropped as he saw the knight almost completely unarmoured, with only his boots still on, the rest of his armour stacked neatly next to a tree. "How did you…" Scythe left the question hanging as Taka finished, now wearing only a light layer of leather and cloth. He looked a lot thinner without his bulky armour, but still visibly muscled.

"I have had a lot of practice with getting my armour on and off quickly." Taka explained. "It comes from having to respond to threats quickly, and usually I can get my armour back on in about a minute or so." Striding over to the tree that Scythe was standing near, he judged the height of the first branch, and ran at the tree. Scythe winced, expecting a collision, but instead Taka took two steps onto the trunk of the tree, and flung himself at the branch, catching his intended target. Hauling himself into a more stable position, he looked down at Scythe. "I shall be back in about five minutes, watch the supplies and my armour until then." He told him. Scythe nodded, and sat himself down next to Taka's pile of armour. Nodding, Taka tensed, and leapt for a higher branch.

Exactly four minutes later, Taka landed at the foot of the tree, having jumped from about ten feet up. Rolling as he hit the ground to disperse the shock, Taka stood up and dusted himself off. Noting Scythe still sat down; he ambled over to put his armour back on. Scythe looked up as Taka approached, surprised to see him back so quickly. Grabbing a boot, Taka started pulling his armour on.

A few minutes later, Taka was fully plated again, and slung his pack over his shoulder. Looking at Scythe, he flicked his head as an indication that they should be off. Hauling himself to his feet, Scythe grabbed his weapon from where he had dropped it, and hurried after Taka, who, as always, had moved off immediately. Neither of them had noticed the metallic bird still circling above.

Clearing the forest shortly after nightfall, Taka having found that they were almost at the edge of it, they saw a road stretching along the rim of the huge wooded area. A couple of merchant caravans made their cautious way along the beaten road, as bandits and highwaymen were common in these parts. Nodding, Taka kept walking, following the road as Scythe trailed behind, and having a hard time keeping up. Glancing back and noting this, Taka stopped, so as to allow Scythe to catch up. Scythe spluttered to a halt next to him, panting. Looking away from the tired lad, Taka cast his gaze up the road. A glimmer of metal caught his eye as his gaze swept past the forest's edge. His eyes narrowed. Focusing his vision, he could make out dark silhouettes in the treeline. Settling his helmet onto his head, Taka strode forwards. Scythe attempted to follow, but Taka flung a hand up, fist closed. The military sign for halt.

"Possible threat up ahead, lad. You stay here, I shall investigate." Taka growled. Scythe nodded, and withdrew slightly. Taka, now completely serious, walked purposefully towards the suspected hiding spot, deliberately making as much noise as possible. The shadows moved slightly, then leapt forwards. Eighteen ragtag men spread out in a semicircle in front of Taka, and the leader, obvious due to his commanding posture, and a significantly larger weapon than the others, moved forwards slightly. Speaking in a gruff voice that sounded of many weary years of being hunted, he made his demands.

"Stranger, I dunno who ye be, but ye be handin' over yer valuables now, or the lads're gonna be pissed." He ordered. Taka, settling a hand on the Dragon Flame's hilt, spoke back.

"You sir, must be a complete fool if your motley band of murderers and thieves think to rob one such as myself." Taka growled, somehow maintaining his orderly way of speaking. The bandit leader sighed.

"Looks like we got anuvver tough guy lads." The leader's eyes twinkled as he spoke his next sentence. "Get 'im."

The bandits spread out slightly more, and closed in. Drawing the Dragon Flame, Taka flourished the blade slowly, making sure that every man saw the glimmering steel blade. His other hand slid to the Hurricane Cutter, and it too came out, both swords now glimmering in the moonlight. Three of the bandits suddenly rushed at him, weapons raised and teeth bared in vicious snarls. The first to reach him received a thunderous boot the chest, sending him crashing to the floor. The other two paused, now unsure of the situation. Taka took the opportunity and gutted the first man, both swords tearing into his flesh and spilling his insides over the floor. He died near-instantly, his axe dropping to the floor. The second, recovering his wits, swung his club at Taka's head. A backhand stroke with the Hurricane Cutter slashed clean through the club, and a second stroke with the Dragon Flame beheaded him. A violent yelling sounded behind him. Spinning, he saw four bandits charge out of the forest, straight for Scythe. Growling, he realised that this ambush had been planned carefully, possibly ever since they had left the forest. Making to attack them, a searing pain shot through his right shoulder, and he roared in pain, dropping the Dragon Flame.

One of the bandits had taken advantage of his distraction, and attacked the joint between his breastplate and pauldron. Still roaring, Taka swung the now glowing Hurricane Cutter in a blazingly fast attack. It shot through the bandit's chest, doing no visible damage. The bandit however, looked down at his chest, dumbfounded. A thin red line appeared, and the top half of his torso simply divided itself from his lower half. Dropping to the floor, the bisected man mouthed wordlessly, his nerves still firing. The rest of the bandit mob howled, and charged. Taka however, lowered his head. The swirling orb in his helm whipped into life, and Taka vanished. The mob stopped, confused. An odd mist rolled in, and they couldn't see a thing. A couple of them, panicking slightly, crashed into each other and were sent sprawling. The leader shouted a command, and the group formed into a circle, each man facing outwards. One of them, who had gotten separated, and couldn't find his group through the mist, had begun hacking at the mist, as though he could blow it away by cutting it. The form of Takakage loomed behind him, and a low rumble went through the earth.

The bandit looked down in time to see a blade sprout from his chest. Gurgling, he slid off of the blood-slick weapon and collapsed. The shadowy knight vanished once more, leaving the mist to swallow up the dead man. One of the circle glanced to his side, only to see a shadow in the shape of a man's arm reach from the mist and drag one of his comrades away. The man died instantly, his throat crushed by the dark hand. The circle shrank, their numbers reduced. One by one, they were picked off, until there were but two left, the leader and one bandit. The mist dissipated, and a scene of destruction unfolded. Bodies, all over the floor, some without limbs, some mangled beyond recognition. The single bandit dropped his weapon and ran, screaming. A burst of flame shot out of nowhere and caught the top of his torso, burning him alive.

Almost as quickly as it had started, it was over. The bandit mob had been ripped to pieces, and only one man still stood. This man was quickly losing his resolve, and began backing towards the forest. Turning to run, he crashed straight into Taka, falling backwards as he did so. The massive knight stood over him, staring down at the bandit who tried to kill him and Scythe. The glimmering blade was rock-steady, tip pointed squarely at the man's throat. Taka walked slightly closer, just close enough for the sword's tip to be pressing its cold touch against the man's tender skin. Taka's baleful eyes glared into the terrified leader, his gaze burning a hole in the man's face. Removing his sword, Taka swept it back into its sheath, before raising a boot, and slamming it down on the poor bandit's face. His head popped like a melon, now nothing more than a bloody mess on the floor. Snorting, he turned to where he had left Scythe. He was sat cross-legged on the floor, wiping the blade of his weapon on the grass. The four bandits who had attacked him lay on the floor, neatly sliced to pieces. Flashing a small grin over in his direction, Taka turned back around and surveyed the destruction he had wreaked. The bandits had been completely destroyed, with most of them either with severe mutilations, or chopped into pieces. Glancing at Scythe, he spoke.

"Well, we had best be off. It would not be too pleasant if a patrol discovered this whilst we are standing amidst the bodies." Scythe nodded, and then replied.

"What about the bodies, are we going to bury them or something?" Taka shook his head. The bandits were cowardly, and did not deserve a warrior's burial. Turning and retrieving the Dragon Flame from where it had fallen, Takakage swept both of his swords back into their sheathes. Grunting as pain shot through his shoulder again, he began walking as he unfastened the pauldron to inspect the damage. Scythe caught up with him and winced at the deep gash in Taka's shoulder.

"That looks nasty Taka; can't you use your healing orb thingy?" Scythe asked. Taka shook his head, obviously in pain, and plonked himself down on the floor.

"Nay, that orb activates if the damage would be irreparable by normal means. For example, when I was injured in that bar fight, the wound would have permanently robbed me of the use of my arm. Here, it is not so serious, as with some bandaging and rest, it will heal naturally." He explained. Scythe nodded, and asked what he should do.

"There are bandages in my pack, take a roll and tie it tightly around the wound. My body will do the rest." Taka instructed. Opening Taka's pack, Scythe rummaged through for a moment, before extracting a roll of blue streaked bandages. They were cold to the touch, and gave off a faint, wintery light.

"Taka, what are these?" Scythe queried. Taka, wincing, explained.

"They are Frostweave bandages, woven by the folk of Nordenia, the land of snow and ice. They are specially designed to cool the wound and ease the pain." Scythe nodded, before tightly wrapping it around Taka's shoulder. Taka, grimacing at the pain that shot through his shoulder as it was bandaged, immediately felt the effect of the magical material as the pain faded away to a dull throb.

"Ah…better already. I must remember to pay Björn a visit next time I am up in Tethra." Taka grunted. The burly Norden had saved his life on an occasion where Taka had become trapped in an icefall. Björn had been foraging for materials when he heard Taka's yells of pain, and had dug him out, taking him back to his village and healing him.

"Anyway, enough reminiscing, we should be off. Onoshiro is not going to bring itself to us." Taka heaved himself off of the floor, taking the roll of bandages back and stowing them away. Setting his usual relentless pace, Taka strode off down the road leading to the east, towards Onoshiro. Groaning at the prospect of more walking, Scythe followed him, leaving the mutilated bodies behind.


End file.
